These are images for the Compost portion of the on farm intensive session I’m teaching for the 2024 CFSA Sustainable Agriculture Conference. My focus is on the building and use of the Johnson-Su Bioreactors for producing fungal dominant compost which is great for making extracts that can be easily sprayed to boost the microbiology of your soil.
The original approach:
Modified Johnson-Su setup using barrels, reduces watering needs, easier to unload and transport.
Back in the spring of 2023, Kara asked if I’d like to be a guest on her podcast series revolving around the interconnectedness of regeneration as it applies to our personal health, both spiritual and physical, the land on this beautiful planet, and all the creatures, including our non-human brothers and sisters, that live on it as well. The minute she asked, I knew just what I’d like to talk about–the 2022 ACRES conference. Our conversation ranged far and wide, but did focus on the technical side of regenerative ag. For more about Kara’s work head over to her website: https://www.landfoodlife.com/
The 2022 ACRES conference in particular was truly revelatory for me. So many things came into sharper focus; the rhizophagy cycle, neonic impacts on not just insects (one neonic treated corn seed has enough insecticide to kill an entire hive) but mammalian health as well, the integration of livestock on large acreage as a step toward soil and microbiology regeneration, as well as a built in ‘insurance policy’ against crop failure (no insurance agents needed!), the critical function of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi as communications and nutrient transport partners between plants and bacteria…the list goes on and on…
So many great minds were there to convey this critical information that will shape the future of agriculture and how we impact the health of everyone on the planet through our farming practices. Dr. James White from Rutgers University, Dr. Jonathan Lundgron of Blue Dasher Farm in South Dakota, Jimmy Emmons of Emmons Farm in Leedey Oklahoma, John Kempf of AEA, Dr. Kristine Nichols of Understanding Ag, and so many more were critical in helping me recognize more of the connectedness of our agricultural systems, and the importance of shifting our mindset to allow nature to work with us in our production systems. In a nutshell, “Outcomes based, Wholistic management” was the overarching theme of the conference, and I was so lucky to be at the right place at the right time, for all of this to come together on the never ending self education path that is regenerative agriculture and life.
This year’s Carolina Farm Steward Association’s Sustainability Conference was another great success. I was given the honor to share my passion about the mechanisms of biological fertility which I’ve taken a deep dive into over the last year after hearing Dr. James White speak about endophytic bacteria and the rhizophagy cycle at last years ACRES USA conference.
UPDATE! My presentation received 4.54/5 stars!
“…one of the highest-rated of all 80 sessions (!!)” –Mary Beth Miller, CFSA Education Manager
Presentation write up in the CFSA conference guide:
Mechanisms of Biological Fertility Peter Brezny, Psycho Chicken Eco Farm
We hear all the time about how important soil health is, and it’s an easy concept to get behind because plants grow better with an active microbiological ecosystem to support them. But have you ever wondered why? Recent research has finally brought to light microbial interactions between plants and soil, and in this session, Peter breaks down the science of how fertilizers impact soil health and plants’ nutritional value, highlighting Dr. James White’s research on endophytic bacteria. He digs into how and why healthy bacteria impact plant nutrition and how that ultimately influences the nutritional value and flavor of the plants we grow.
Session Audience: Beginning to advanced growers, educators, and students interested in how recent research on biological fertility can be applied to any farming operation.
About the Speaker: Peter is a regenerative agriculture consultant, educator, and the founder of Psycho Chicken Eco Farm, an ecologically-minded vegetable farm and homestead in West Asheville, NC.
The word around us is in a state of constant change. Understanding the world around us keeps us informed to make better decisions. Here’s my latest attempt to support trusted media outlets efforts to stay current.
Spoiler: Toxic substances are bad for our health. We should stop using them. The media can help us get there by letting everyone know how dangerous they actually are.
———- Forwarded message ———
From: Peter Brezny <> Date: Mon, Aug 15, 2022 at 5:04 PM Subject: please do an update to your episode on autoimmune disease To: <scienceweekly@theguardian.com>
Dear Science weekly,
I’m a frequent listener to your show, contributor to the Guardian, Environmental Scientist, Biochemist, and most importantly, Farmer.
Your recent re-run episode on autoimmune disease could use an update. Your guest, James Lee, made no mention about the role of man made substances’ significant contribution to, and direct correlation with, the rise in autoimmune disease in ‘western’ lifestyle countries.
In particular, the link between glyphosate (aka roundup) and autoimmunity has been studied for some time. Mechanisms of autoimmune disease initiation, tied directly to the glyphosate molecule’s documented incorporation into our proteins during DNA transcription, have been proposed.
When glyphosate is substituted for one of our essential amino acids, glycine, into protein structure, it frequently causes folding errors in the protein. These misfolded proteins are then recognized as foreign entities as they emerge from the cells in which they are made, triggering a response from our immune system.
So in this instance at least, contrary to what your guest proposed, we do know why our immune system turns on otherwise healthy cells in our bodies. I hope you will share this information with your followers in an update to this episode. Greater understanding of dangerous chemical substance incorporation into our and other animal proteins, will help spur legislation that could ultimately resolve this problem at its source (release of toxic substances), where we will make much more significant progress than we will by treating the symptoms (autoimmunity).
And perhaps do a follow up episode with Dr. Seneff to fill in the gaps left by your last guest on this issue of critical importance.
Like plastic pollution, forever chemicals, and toxic herbicides/pesticides/fertilizers, there exists a need to stop focusing on the symptoms, and solve these desperate issues at their source, by discontinuing use of substances incompatible with life on earth. Humanity has survived at high standards of living for generations long before the first plastic bottle, or drop of “crop protection” fluid, or non-stick pan was ever produced.
The invention of these things were for the benefit of mankind, but now that we have the ability to look back on their legacy, it’s time to turn the ship around toward a sustainable future, through the prohibition of substances incompatible with natural decomposition processes, and the promotion of new technologies compatible with our health, convenience, and environment.
Of particular interest for me was the questions about their programs. Here’s what I had to say:
It’s not that you don’t have the programs. It’s that the information in those programs are frequently based on research performed in the1950’s and ’60’s!
Restricting agents to only disseminate information from peer-reviewed research (frequently funded from dubious sources) is tying the hands of a critical resource–your agents. This is a common issue nationwide. While peer-reviewed research has it’s place, so to does the promotion of on-farm experimentation and exploration. Sparking the imagination of farmers is far more productive and important than defining restrictive “Practices” for them to follow which may not work within their unique context.
NC has an opportunity to be a leader in supporting effective, non-toxic, regenerative farming practices. The “Peer Reviewed” research doesn’t necessarily exist in this field because in some instances, it is too young to have had the studies performed and peer reviewed. Yet there are countless professional organizations with decades of research showing better yield, healthier produce, lower cost, and less dependence on fluctuating fertilizer and energy markets. Rodale Institute, ACRES USA, Understanding Ag, the Savory Institute, the Xerces Society, and countless more all have extensive experience, research, and data spanning decades. Incorporate this wealth of knowledge into your extension programs and stop tying the hands of your agents.
Now is the time for the NC State extension to eliminate ridiculous restrictions that require your intelligent agents to continue to recommend practices they know to degrade land, profit, health, and efficient use of resources.
Business as usual isn’t working.
Proscribing “Practices” has limited impact. Instead, of teach the observation of outcomes and adjusting your practices based on those outcomes. This is a much more effective management strategy if we are to make our farms resilient in these desperate and challenging times, created in large part by poor farm practices promoted by university extensions around the globe over the last 100 years.
Get ahead of this. Be a leader. Change the face of agriculture in NC as an example for the rest of the USA and the world to follow. We can have the healthiest, most diverse, productive, and profitable farms in the country if managed properly.
Don’t neglect to include farmland protection in your programs. There are many people who will do this voluntarily if the resources they need to accomplish it are at their fingertips and they feel the support of the farming community behind them. Without farms, we will be without food, regardless of how rich the stock brokers think they are. When the ‘bottom line’ becomes the health of our communities, we will all have much more to celebrate and be all the richer for it.
